Over the last 12 months or so I have been trying to get average 25kph over 40km doing the same route to improve my average and i finally averaged 25kph on the dot this morning. When i started the route i was doing about 22kph so 3kph may not seem like a lot but it is to me.

I have been going into a more aero position on the downhills and that seems to produce an extra 2-4kph faster then sitting up. I have also been using the bigger front cog more and more lately to keep the speed up

It doesn't seem much but to increase your average can be a feat, especially if your talking 3 kph or more.As with good advice given here sometimes trying too hard may be your worst enemy. Fluctuate your efforts. One day hard, another day easy spinning.Keep at it.

Thanks for the kind words. When I am doing the same ride with a group I get left behind going up the hills but I will get better at that with more practice and some weight loss. For myself hills are just as much mental as it is physical, what I mean by that is I tend to go into a easier gear earlier then I need to because it is easier.

I used to think it was all about the lightest CF frame and the best spec but its not as important at this point as I don't race. I will keep pushing so I can go out with groups and keep up to their average pace of 28kph.

If at all possible, try to get some really short rides in (10kms?) and push yourself super hard, stay in the big ring and aim for a 30kmh average over that ride. It should HURT the next day. Your body does get used to one route, one style of riding, and tricking your body into adapting to a new route, a new style, will give you a great baseline to start attacking that 28kmh group. If your workout causes you to absolutely blow out and you can't ride after 8kms, that's OK. You are trying to improve, and improvement comes from going hard.

I agree with everything above and I have been doing similar over the last 9 months I have been riding.I started at around 23km/h ave as well and can now hold between 28-31 km/h depending on course and wind conditions.

For me I have found that varying your ride distances, your efforts during these rides and the courses you ride all help you to improve more and more as the weeks go by - but most of all just clock up as many km's as you can (no matter if there slow or fast rides), just keep on riding.

Keep up the good work and well done on reaching your goal....and good luck on your way to reaching your next goal!

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